St. Landry democrat., 1887-09-24


then hut realized tn@b . nero ot"ou W.
fore them who would
LEAD HIS FE0rLE
J., ;,t,,,,- or die with his people III the
" ,tt,,,nt
~" Tha [nTa was taken. he was elected:
a., ~ raGeam that promise or did he
n ~ ~ I,on a he'd of roses and walt for
for+,n.. IN hiring him the fruits of VIC
.or''7
w 4not forr months siege. COM
1;,inc ali the forces of stratagem,
Ii.Iit11,o"I- ond nhvsical force, answer.
Tba MOI th1ckened the electoral vote
49, ao comn+ad I.0Dislapa's $ votes were
,",n.ssorr tn Eenuhlican national sue
ess +ha struwrle was hit begun.
The nemhers.elect to the senate and
hoI,se If ranr4sentatlyes arrived IN New
l1TI waek before the day fixed by
10 -1r %nT the orpanization of the general
assamhlv and from dav to day the
camrns of the Democratic members OF
b bat}, 'i hon.aS mai to discuss the situation
orS arree mon a line of policy; but as
aacb dav nasspd and each speaker sat
S I'm " r. 49, annaTant that there were
o 1s r,anT diverse and conflicting plans
as thars we've sneakers.
In rms emergency what could be
doner From whence could order be
HrnnChf2 What solvent could blend
,ntn one nurp0se those conflicting
yiers2 What hand could be looked to
for deljverance7
There was hand near, ave. an arm Of
steeI \ brain of clear insight and a Will
which brool,ef1 no obstacle
Feilrw-Ci1lzens. shall tell you v no
ve1lded Them? Francis T. Nichols !!
10 HIM in that darkest hour OF distress
the caucus of the general assembly
trrned AS the peOnIe had turned TO
him as their dellverer. and told him
that If be would take supreme COM
mand aud direct the whole movement;
civil and military, against the radical
state government and all other "nposl-
ton, they would sustain MN WIN one
heart and one voice.
He replied that 1t was tremendous
responsibility and 1t mad come 10 MIN
unsoughT. but that he would nuueltake
the task and discharge II TO the best OF
his ability.
Then, for the hour. nope nLleu every
heart, and all felt that they had q lead
er in W HON faith could well be placed.
But, alas. at the eleventh hour, yer
ily. for it was II O'Clock Sunday nlghT,
Dec. II, $50, while the governor was
sitting at his desk writing the orders
for the fateful next day, Jan. |. Mon
dav, the day that the constitution re
nured the organization or the le2lsld-
1ure. d committee from the senate ap-
peartd and in .nrmed HIM that the
senate had TcSclnded the resolution CIV
ing him supreme control.
This was the most critical moment OF
the whole struggle. The pen was lad
aside and ccoliy, calmly the senate com
mittee was informed that the RESPONSE
bllltv of
SrpREME COMMAND
yvas nnsourht and tine senate had a per
facr right 70 do as they had done in re.
Scindinc their resolution. but that defedt
ond d;r5ster awaited our cause if tlev
narsIs+pd in their present purpose and
the ser9re should bear the resoonsi bill
itv of the defeat
No nursnasion turned him from this
posIr10n. no ezpedient moved his unfal.
ferino faith in the success of the cause
he had laid down and calmly and quiet.
ly he retired to bed to obtain that rest
he sOIely needed.
The senate net next morning early
and Tescinded their action OF the pre-.
vlous evening, and Governor Nichols
plan was executed, and led LOUISIANA
to victory.
1say this was the critical moment. 10!
mad the governor TleideG all WOuiu
have been lost, and LOUISIANA re
demptlon from radical misrHle post
poned for years, aud perhaps the streets
would have run blood shed by peopit
maddened by the outrage OF popular
government once more violently sup
pressed, and the traits OF an over
Whtlmi1g victory at tHo ndl!os Doe
snatched from them Dy tue han4 OF ar
bltraTy and tyrannlcal power; ne Re
naming portion OF the struggle Win IL
plomacT without ana llnPatleDce "ltnln
has been too well handed pE anleI hdnd'
to permit NE TO weary your patience
with recital.
Sunce 1t to say mere that tha'
resolution OF SENATOR Jonas ABOUT tne
taking OF the supreme court bnllolnSs
neither ADVISED nor lnsIiuc1eo one gov
ernor III The premlses-pCt simply re
lterated the unlimited powers tha'
had been conferred upon MIN ana as
sured him OF the continued
UNITED SUPPORT
of the Joint caucus in any course be
saw tit to pursue. even though blood
was shed, only stopping short of col
lision with United States troops.
This is the recollection of one who
was present and participating IN thai
discussion and IS believed to be aCCu
ratelv correct.
And now, feilow-citizens have sim.
ply to say in closing: Let the admirers
of Governor McEnery crown his brow
with laurels plucked from the good
from the 9roW Si, OF leg equally good or pett ,l